Canelo Alvarez vs. Gennady Golovkin

Earlier this month, Saul "Canelo" Alvarez made his return to pay-per-view to fight the previously undefeated Liam Smith, a solid, but virtually unknown British 154 LBS titleholder. A live crowd of over 51,000 fans flocked to Texas Stadium to witness the Mexican superstar display the skills that put him at the top of the boxing world, a spot he claimed after the retirement of the sport's longtime top draw, Floyd Mayweather.

When first announced, most expressed disappointment with the Alvarez/Smith match-up because many are clamoring for a showdown with Gennady Golovkin, who knocked out another UK star, Kell Brook just weeks before Canelo stepped into the ring with Smith. Though undefeated, Liam Smith hadn't fought anyone of significance in his native country, and he hadn't fought outside of England until he traveled to the United States to square off with Saul Alvarez. Make no mistake, the Mexican fans were there to watch their native star, not to view his competition.

Prior to the bout, the question of if it would simply be a showcase fight for Alvarez surfaced and the opening round suggested that it would be a platform for him to elevate his profile among the boxing public. However, while not threatening significant damage to Canelo at any particular point in the contest, Smith made a good showing for himself, generating more offense as the rounds progressed. After half a dozen rounds of Alvarez landing a mixture of powerful punches to the head and body of his opponent, he landed a devastating body shot that sent Smith tumbling to the canvas. Shortly after that, the referee halted the bout in the ninth round, awarding Canelo the win.

After the fight, analyst Max Kellerman asked the question that has followed Saul Alvarez after every bout during the past few years, will he fight Triple G? Canelo implied that his group had tired to make the fight, but Kellerman, being the intelligent broadcaster that he is, pressed the subject and cited a quote from promoter Oscar De La Hoya about letting the fight "marinate" until the time is right. Alvaerez's response was the typical post-fight talk, mostly saying that he would fight anyone.

But, when the WBC announced Triple G as the mandatory challenger for Canelo's middleweight title earlier this year, Alvarez opted to vacate the belt and avoid the fight. While Golden Boy Promotions founder Oscar De La Hoya claimed that he made a substantial offer to Golovkin, the amount of money on the table wasn't mentioned so who knows how legitimate the deal was at the time? Was the brief negotiation for the Triple G fight an attempt to quiet the notion that Canelo is ducking him?

In theory, Canelo should generate the highest pay-per-view numbers in the sport, but early reports indicate that the Smith bout garnered a disappointing 250,000-300,000 buys, a noticeable drop from his two previous PPV offerings. The Canelo/Khan card in May draw 500,000 and prior to that, the Alvarez/Cotto event prompted 900,000 buys. Obviously, the quality of competition matters and the general public isn't willing to pay $65 to watch Saul Alvarez compete in lopsided bouts. I would suggest that Kovalev vs. Ward, a battle of two undefeated fighters in their prime, will draw a better number this November than Canelo's most recent contest. The bottom line is, the general public is willing to pay for a competitive prize fight that features skilled athletes in the prime of their career.

Following the Smith fight, it was noted that Saul Alvarez fractured his thumb and will take the rest of the year off to recover from the injury. At the same time, Triple G is targeting a December showdown with the talented WBA middleweight champion Daniel Jacobs and the chance to become the unified middleweight champion.

Assuming Triple G is victorious against Jacobs, the path is clear for the anticipated Golovkin/Alvarez fight next year, undoubtedly the biggest fight that can be made in boxing right now. However, it's very possible and very disappointing that political jousting could potentially stall this fight at least a few years. The 26-year-old Mexican star is younger and has a bigger frame than Golovkin so the tactic used could be to simply wait until Triple G gets a little older, presumably toward the conclusion of his career. For example, four years from now, Canelo is 30 and his opponent is 38, which at least on paper tilts an advantage toward Alvarez. The problem is, boxing doesn't have the luxury of waiting for this fight and if it happens is 2020, the amount of people willing to spend money to watch it will be exponentially less than it is right now. The argument could be made that the time when the general public was willing pay to watch glorified exhibition fights went away with Floyd Mayweather. The numbers for Alvarez/Smith suggest that Canelo needs an established opponent to draw buys.

As I've said before, it's ironic that certain stars in boxing avoid marquee match-ups because they assume a defeat will hinder their drawing power, but in reality, they actually leave more money on the table when the in-demand fights aren't signed. Regardless of the result of Canelo/Golovkin, unless it's a total flop, fans will want to see a rematch and depending of who wins those bouts, there's the possibility of a trilogy. Instead of one mega fight that happens years after it should, a trilogy could take place within the same time frame and translate to more money for everyone.

In my opinion, Saul Alvarez is ducking Gennedy Golovkin because Oscar De La Hoya doesn't want to risk the drawing power of Golden Boy Promotions' top commodity. If De La Hoya wanted to make the fight, he would make a legitimate offer and a 50/50 split is more than reasonable because without Triple G, there's no super fight for Canelo. Sure, the argument could be made that Alvarez is the bigger star in the United States because of the Hispanic population, but the numbers from the Smith fight prove that Alvarez needs quality competition to draw ratings.

The debate of if Canelo could handle Triple G's power or if Alvarez would use his skill to land more combinations against Golovkin is a moot point. Until the contract is signed, it's just speculation, and anticipation to a fight that might not materialize. Ultimately, either boxing will or won't learn from the pitfalls of the Pacquiao/Mayweather debacle. Either we will see Saul Alvarez standing across the ring from Gennady Golovkin and be provided with an example of how great of a sport boxing can be or politics will continue to dictate the stagnant direction of the sport.

Cody Rhodes signed for TNA

Earlier this year, Cody Rhodes asked for his release from the WWE and concluded a ten year run in the company. Cody, the son of the legendary Dusty Rhodes, later explained his departure in depth, saying that his request to finish the Star Dust gimmick and storyline suggestions were declined. As I wrote at the time, The Star Dust character was useful for the tag team and then feud with Goldust, but outside of that, the angle wasted almost two years of Cody's career. Quite frankly, Rhodes deserved better than a one dimensional spin off of Goldust's persona and had he stayed under a WWE deal, Star Dust would probably still be a lower mid-card performer. Make no mistake, Cody Rhodes has the ability and the potential to be a top star, but somehow the WWE missed the boat on him.

It says something about his passion for professional wrestling that Rhodes opted to leave the biggest sports entertainment company in the world because he wanted to show his skills as an athlete, not just a gimmick. Cody could've easily worked another five years in the WWE and made great money to do it, but he wanted more than just a WWE paycheck. Assuming he made financially wise decisions, Cody is probably secure after a decade of working for Vince McMahon so his venture outside of the only sports entertainment company he worked for is based on proving something. The bottom line is, Cody Rhodes can go in the ring and his skills were overlooked for the majority of his WWE career.

So far, he already wrestled on Evolve shows and appeared for Pro Wrestling Guerrilla in the Battle of Los Angeles tournament, receiving rave reviews for his matches against some of the top talent on the independent scene. Specifically, PWG is considered by many to be the top independent organization in the United States and it's not an easy task to work that style, but Rhodes delivered stellar performances. Along with that, Cody is scheduled to work Ring Of Honor's Final Battle event, one of their biggest shows of the year. Quite simply, the former Star Dust has quickly become one of the most in-demand freelancers in the business.

Last week, TNA promoted a "Game Changer" for the edition of Impact and it was revealed to be an announcement that Cody Rhodes will debut at the Bound For Glory pay-per-view. While one star or one angle won't be the key to success for Impact Wrestling, this signing, as well as a few others could be the start of a trend to change the perception of TNA. For too long, Impact Wrestling signed seemingly every WWE castaway they could in the mid-2000s and in the process, it made the promotion look secondary. Plus, there were also several examples of former WWE stars showing up at the Impact Zone and mailing it in to collect a paycheck while many of the TNA originals performed risky matches in an effort to generate notoriety for the company. For example, Rob Van Dam, who had a three year run there, basically said it himself in a Kayfabe Commentaries Youshoot interview that he mailed it in for the majority of his matches in TNA. There were other numerous examples as well of performers that would coast to a paycheck based on their past accomplishments instead of using Impact as a way to progress their career. On the other end of the spectrum was Bully Ray, who took the opportunity of an alternative environment to completely reinvented himself. He deserves major credit for the effort he put fourth to rejuvenate his career and at the peak of the Bully character, he was arguably the best heel in the business.

This is where the Cody Rhodes signing could be used to benefit the perception of Impact Wrestling because an athlete in the prime of his career decided on his own terms to depart from the WWE and chose TNA as the place to showcase his true potential, as opposed to someone that is looking for a job because the WWE released them. So, just the fact that a solid performer in their prime essentially opted for TNA (as well as other promotions) instead of the WWE gives the impression that there's at least the potential for progress in TNA. Another dynamic that could be used as an advantage is the stars that were overlooked by the WWE and that many fans think didn't get a fair chance to showcase their skills. The major example of this is Damien Sandow, a versatile performer that made the best of whatever he was booked for, but somehow didn't get the chance he deserved. He was released and made his way to Impact Wrestling as Aron Rex. Obviously, he's an extremely entertaining performer and the draw to follow his career as it transitions to another promotion is that Impact Wrestling will theoretically give him the chance to live up to him potential. Another possible name is Alberto Del Rio, a competitor that was extremely popular during his WWE run, but got lost in the shuffle of the sports entertainment company. Again, the perception could be that TNA would allow him the opportunity to work his style without the corporate restrictions. The possibility to create the narrative of TNA as the place were talented performers can be featured if their ability was overlooked elsewhere could be a type of brand identity that differentiates the promotion from the WWE.

While the promotion has a mostly solid roster, it will be important going forward that they have major stars under contract to bring more viewers to the product. If Billy Corgan does actually buy the company, he might be willing to invest the necessary funds to ink a competitor such as Rey Mysterio to a deal. At this point, even if the company shifts direction, there has to be something to draw more viewers to the product and Rey could garner that type of hype for the organization.

As I said, it will take more than one star or storyline to achieve some success, but the Cody Rhodes signing creates an optimism around the company and it should be a beneficial deal for everyone. If Aron Rex does well in TNA and a few other free agents are added, there could be a renewed buzz for the company. Essentially, TNA could establish itself as an alternative to the "corporate wrestling" company and while the results remain to be seen, it creates some interesting scenarios in the next few months.

Is TNA for sale?

According to an article in the New York Post that was published last week, Billy Corgan, currently the president of the Impact Ventures, is trying to become the majority owner. There was speculation about ownership of the company last month after Corgan's new title was announced so the status of his involvement isn't much news.

However, it's extremely interesting to note that the article mentioned that both the WWE and Sinclair Broadcasting made bids to buy the company. Obviously, nothing was announced publicly, but what would happen if TNA is finally sold?

As I wrote previously, Billy Corgan deserves credit for trying to make a difference and it speaks volumes to his passion for the sport, but it's doubtful that a Corgan-owned Impact Wrestling would be much different than the product right now. More than anything, TNA's problem is lack of brand identity and overall viewership of its show. One person, regardless of who it is, isn't going to be the key to the company becoming profitable.

This is where a potential WWE or Sinclair purchase could actual benefit the future of the organization. Both options bring increased production value and advertisement resources, which are extremely important on the national level. Granted, that would depend on if either company would be willing to invest the money into TNA to make the necessary improvements.

If Vince McMahon bought Impact, it would be very similar to the WCW sale, in terms of the major acquisitions would be the video library and select talent signings. Don't expect Total Non Stop Action to have its own show on the WWE network. McMahon is trying to establish three separate brands right now with the extension, and adding TNA even a year or so from now would unnecessarily dilute the product. Plus, the letters TNA don't have the same level of recognition among WWE's audience that WCW did during the original sale so the Impact "brand" wouldn't resonate among much of WWE's causal fan base. With the amount of former TNA talent that are signed to WWE deals, the video footage of their careers on Impact is a legitimate asset, but other than the library, there's very little the WWE would do with Impact Wrestling. Management certainly isn't going to invest the time and resources to promote Dixie Carter's failed project. Plus, as history has shown, the WWE isn't exactly careful with how it presents entities that it didn't create. So, if the WWE bought Impact, they would close the company and cherry pick the commodities that they wanted to use toward WWE productions.

Sinclair Broadcasting, the television group that bought Ring Of Honor in 2011, has spent five years in the wrestling business and while they haven't made ROH a household name, they've kept the promotion running, which is always a good thing for the industry. While ROH has expanded its TV and pay-per-view reach along with finally making some major production improvements, it's still very much a small subsidiary of a major corporation. Some might be unaware, but Sinclair is a billion dollar company so theoretically, if they wanted to attempt to compete with the WWE, they have the cash to do so, but it became clear within a few years of the Sinclair purchase that the group views ROH as a source of original programming for their stations, not an attempt to provide competition. There's nothing wrong with that either because from a business prospective, it makes sense, considering that pro wrestling is relatively cheap to produce compared to other genres and it delivers consistent viewers. Basically, Sinclair knows that WWE dominates the market of sports entertainment and for them, it's much easier to run ROH on a budget for the content it provides the syndicated stations than it is to attempt to challenge Vince McMahon. That translates to the future of ROH being secure, but the downside is that the level of its success is essentially limited to the amount of resources Sinclair executives want to invest into it. It's ironic that in some ways, Ring of Honor is actual more financially stable than TNA despite being the smaller organization.

This is where a Sinclair purchase would create an interesting scenario because the company would own two wrestling promotions, which provides unique opportunities for each show. That said, if a Sinclair buy is going to make a difference toward the status of Impact Wrestling, there would have to be a different ideology applied to TNA. If Impact is just going to be used as more original programming, it will remain stagnant because it takes several resources in many different aspects to establish a brand on the national level. One of the biggest criticisms in the past is the lack of advertisement for TNA in almost every aspect. It was very rare to see commercials for TNA on other networks and house shows weren't promoted well in local markets, which resulted in laughable attendance for live events. If Sinclair is willing to invest the money into the promotion to make it possible for Impact to be perceived as a major league product then a potential deal could make a difference to the future of the company. Otherwise, the show will generate a similar amount of viewers that it does now and it will remain a secondary product.

So, will there actually be a change in ownership?

It's tough to say at this point because there are many rumors about the possible results on the table. It also must be taken into account that multiple investors own shares of TNA, which could complicate the sale process exponentially if the shareholders aren't on the same page. The New York Post mentioned a $40 million sale price, which is ridiculous. If Impact Ventures is sold to an outside group, it won't be for more than a few million dollars and considering the very public financial struggles, Dixie Carter doesn't have much leverage for the negotiation. If the WWE buys the company, it will be for pennies on the dollar, which is something that would be possible if Dixie couldn't get a deal for any other organization. The potential for Sinclair really depends on their intentions for the project, if they want to attempt to become a contender in the industry, they would be willing to pay more for the sale, but if they are just looking for original content then they would offer a lower number. The bottom line is, nobody is going to pay $40 million for Impact Wrestling so a lot of the process will be determined by what the shareholders are willing to take for their stake in TNA. Another aspect of all of this is if Dixie Carter still wants to play TV star because as unbelievable as it sounds, her appearances on TV have halted sale negotiations before, most notably when Toby Keith attempted to buy the company a few years ago.

Just as a guess, if Dixie Carter is willing to finally sell her vanity project, I would say that Billy Corgan buying the promotion entirely is probably the most realistic option. If Sinclair wanted more involvement in the wrestling business, they would do more to establish ROH, and their intentions for a purchase of TNA would be geared toward content, not competition so they won't pay an initial asking price. As mentioned, if WWE buys Impact, they would close the company, make money from the video library, and sign select talent. Despite all the departures in recent years, TNA still has a mostly solid roster and there are performers that would do well in the WWE. Ethan Carter, Drew Galloway, Jade, Marti Bell, and others could be good additions to any of the WWE brands. More specifically, the Knockouts could add depth to the women's divisions that are being featured more prominently on WWE TV. That being said, if TNA shuts down, it would set wrestling back a decade and nobody, not even the WWE, would benefit from one national company existing in the industry.

Guest Booker review

On May 27, 1996, Scott Hall jumped the rail during a broadcast of WCW Nitro and the words, "You know who I am, but you don't know why I'm here" tilted the professional wrestling industry. Hall, a former WCW performer during the early years of his career, became a star in the early 90s for the WWF as the Scar face inspired Razor Ramon. While not technically a main eventer, Razor was one of the biggest stars of Vince McMahon's "new generation" that launched after Hogan's exit from the promotion. The Razor character was over and he could go in the ring with anyone, a valuable asset for any roster. A side note, despite all the struggles that Scott Hall had during the course of his career outside of the ring, make no mistake, when he was on, he was as good as anyone. Just a few weeks after the Cuban accent was heard on Turner programming, Kevin Nash joined one of his real-life best friends as perceived "invaders."

The wrestling recession of the early 90s, which wasn't helped by the steroid scandal that saw Vince McMahon acquitted in federal court, led to some lean years financially for the WWF. Eric Bischoff, a third tier TV announcer, was named the president of WCW during this time and knew he had to do something to jump start the organization. With Ted Turner's check book open, Bischoff offered the former Kliq members a deal they couldn't refuse, more money and more days off. Not only were Hall and Nash going to make top level cash to depart from the McMahon empire, they were set to be among the highest paid talents on the WCW roster, second only to Hulk Hogan.

This jump is what ultimately started the Monday Night war and brought arguably the greatest era in the history of the business to a record audience. Eric Bischoff has earned a lot of the criticism about how he ran WCW, but he undoubtedly deserves credit for generating legitimate competition to the WWF. The competition among the two television franchises demanded the best each group could offer each week. If one program wasn't up to par, fans could channel surface to the other show. The business moved at a frantic pace and changed drastically in the span of 4-5 years.

After a myriad of botched decisions and political jousting, WCW was sold to Vince McMahon in 2001. The war was over and a chapter in the history of sports entertainment industry concluded. Some can argue that maybe the WWE had a chance at main stream success with CM Punk in 2011, but they didn't take advantage of it. Some might say that if the WWE had given Daniel Bryan the chance he deserved earlier, maybe he could've had main stream success before injuries led to an early retirement. As I've said before, if WCW was still around, you can bet that Punk would've been given a better run. Daniel Bryan wouldn't have been pushed aside for months either. As mentioned, competition would've pushed management to present their best product. When you take into account the ripple effect of the WCW sale, it emphasizes the impact that the Monday Night war had on the direction of the product.

This edition of Kayfabe Commentaries Guest Booker allowed Kevin Nash to discuss his departure from the WWF and book hypothetical scenarios for The Outsiders if they would've stayed in the WWF in 1996. Kevin Nash is known for being one of the smartest pro wrestlers of the modern era and he made a career of maximizing his value. For as much criticism as Nash gets for the lack of in ring skills, it's important to remember that five star matches don't pay the bills. It's the ability to get viewers to buy tickets or pay-per-views to see the match, whatever type it is, that draws money. Is it important to be able to go bell-to-bell? Absolutely because it provides a longevity and performers that can go in the ring generally have a longer run than those that are built mostly on just a character. For example, Kevin Nash worked as a top guy for a five years, 1995-2000 between his time in the WWF and WCW. He didn't have a Hogan or Austin type of run, (keep in mind there was a lot of political red tape at the time too) but his time as world champion provided him with enough of a name that he made money for the rest of his career, working for TNA and relatively brief stints in the WWE. John Cena, regardless of if someone is a fan of his style or not, isn't exactly a technical wrestler, but he can go inside the ropes. If Cena is booked to work a 25 minute main event, he can deliver a quality match. The ability to be versatile as a top guy is the reason that Cena had a 10 year run and Nash worked half that time as a main eventer. That being said, Nash still makes money today based on his work from 20 years ago, and there's nothing wrong with that. Again, as amazing as aerial wrestling can be, you can have the match of the year, but if 20 people watched it, does it really matter? The performers that can get over with a character and can go in the ring were the top guys in the history of the business for a reason. Flair, Austin, Foley, Cena, etc. Granted, all different styles, but the common denominator is they could draw money and deliver a solid match.

However, Nash's bank account isn't based off of how many five star matches he had, and this production gives some insight into the decision to sign with Turner's group. Nash's WCW deal was structured to increase his salary each year he worked there over three years, which saw him earn nearly seven figures for the final year of his initial contract. Ironically, it wasn't the amount of money that was his deciding factor to ink the deal, but rather a guarantee for a certain amount. As mentioned previously, the WWF had some lean years in the early 90s and while it's common place today, during the Diesel main event run, there was no downside guarantee. So, despite being a major star in 1995, Kevin Nash didn't know the minimum money that he could make for a particular year. It was extremely interesting to hear that he didn't ask Vince McMahon to match Bischoff's offer, just to guarantee a certain amount, which McMahon couldn't do at the time.

Nash actually worked as the booker of WCW during the latter stages of the company and talked about the staff of the creative team at the time, including the infamous Vince Russo. He also has a very comical assessment of Greg Gagne, who claims to have been the person that got Hulk Hogan to sign with WCW and also takes credit for the NWO angle. Another hilarious story includes the events that  prompted both Hall and Nash to be given an $800,000 bonus when Turner executives thought that the WWF's hype for the eventual reveal of the fake Razor/Diesel skit was somehow a power play to get the duo to return to McMahon's company.

As for the booking segment of the presentation, it can get a little convoluted at times because of the nature of the project, but it's kept mostly simplistic. When asked about the cast of cartoon characters that were featured in 1996, Nash suggested a cult leader type character to create a stable that allowed certain performers to assume more edgy characters and Raven was mentioned as a possible leader. It was also explained how a heel Razor Ramon could've been booked throughout the remainder of 1996 and the impact it would've made in the title picture. Assuming The Outsiders never left, the curtain call incident didn't happen and Triple H's King of the Ring push didn't get delayed a year so would he have won it as scheduled? More specifically, how would Nash book himself if he continued his career in the WWF?

As mentioned prior, the booking segment of this edition can get a little murky at times because of the domino effect booking differently would've had on other angles at the time, but the discussion about The Outsiders' actual departure makes this presentation worth watching. It's extremely interesting to hear Nash detail the decision making process to jump to WCW and the start of the New World Order. Nash is one of the most entertaining personalities in wrestling and this interview is another example of it. So, I'd recommend this edition to anyone that's a fan of the Monday Night war era, and it provides intriguing insight into one of the most influential decisions in pro wrestling history.

CM Punk's UFC debut

CM Punk stepped out of his wrestling boots, and Phil Brooks stepped into the octagon last weekend in front of a rowdy crowd in Cleveland, OH for his debut in mixed martial arts. Punk, who walked out of the WWE in January of 2014, announced his signing with the UFC in November of that year before he embarked on a two year journey toward the cage last Saturday. The new career path wasn't without setbacks, as Punk suffered a knee injury during training and also required back surgery to repair a herniated disc that was hampering his progress at the Roufusport gym in Milwaukee. Fully committed to the MMA process, Punk moved to Milwaukee during his preparation for UFC 203 and had the chance to train with several UFC fighters, including the Welterweight champion Tyron Woodley.

MMA purists scoffed at the notion that a pro wrestler with no experience in competitive sports was offered a contract to fight in the biggest mixed martial arts promotion in the world. I've said it before and I will say it again, the UFC is as much of a business as it is a sport, and it was a smart business move to sign CM Punk. The hype, including a series titled, "The Evolution of Punk" that chronicled his journey, generated a buzz and one of the major selling points of the pay-per-view.

However, there was a very reality-based aspect to this whole scenario.

Mickey Gall, an upstart from the north east regional circuit, was discovered on Dana White's "Looking for a Fight" Youtube series and deemed a possible opponent for Punk, considering the 24-year-old had a total of four bouts (three amateur contests) on his resume. With just one professional win, Gall was invited to fight fellow rookie Mike Jackson earlier this year to determine the competitor that would get the spotlight as Punk's first opponent. Gall, who is a brown belt in ju jit su and has competed in martial arts since his youth, choked out his opposition in 45 seconds to secure his spot on a pay-per-view card.

As "Cult of Personality" blared throughout the arena, Phil Brooks walked to the octagon with a look of determination on his face. There's no doubt that the former WWE champion is a charismatic and driven athlete. He thrilled audiences around the globe and clawed his way up from the dirt-stained canvases of the independent scene to the bright lights of Wrestlemania to do it. Admire him or despise him, CM Punk earned the notoriety that provided him the chance to pursue the goal to compete as an ultimate fighter. Even his biggest critics will tell you that CM Punk is determined to achieve success.

But, there's also the reality of this situation.

When the cage door closed and the referee called for the action to begin, Brooks was taken down almost immediately and didn't get back to his feet before the end of the bout. With the exception of a few short punches that did no damage, Brooks had virtually no offense and Mickey Gall displayed a mix of striking and ground skills for the duration of the fight. After a flurry of hooks to the head, Mickey Gall used a rear-naked choke to get the victory. CM Punk tapped out and two years of preparation was summed up in 2 minutes and 14 seconds.

That was the reality of UFC 203.

At 37, Phil Brooks was at a disadvantage in almost every aspect of the contest. His age, inexperience, injuries from pro wrestling, injuries from MMA training, and the level of competition of the Ultimate Fighting Championship all worked against him. As I wrote previously, this wasn't another Brock Lesnar scenario, as he had the legitimate background as NCAA national champion so the transition to mixed martial arts wasn't that much of a stretch. Despite the name value of CM Punk, Phil Brooks was a novice that started training two years ago and without any amateur bouts to truly gauge his skills, there was realistically no reason to expect a different result than what took place.

Reality hit CM Punk in the face and so did Mickey Gall.

As is usually the case on social media, there were two divided opinions on Punk's venture in the cage, either he deserves all the credit in the world for trying or he was a joke that got embarrassed. It's probably a little of both because while it takes confidence to purse combat sports, there also had to be some arrogance that allowed CM Punk to think that he could hop over the usual steps world champions took on their path to the UFC, and start his career at the highest level. It's somewhat ironic that one of Punk's biggest gripes during his time in the WWE was that Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson was allowed to jump to the top of the card whenever he wanted to return to the ring because of his success in Hollywood, but somehow it didn't matter that he basically did the same thing to the MMA genre. At the very least, The Rock was a major draw in pro wrestling before he left the business to become an actor, and when he returned, he set PPV records so it's tough to argue that he shouldn't be the main event of the show. Does Punk deserve credit for taking a chance? Absolutely, but it's not as though he delivered some heroic performance that justifies significant praise, he was a novice that got beat up in an environment where he probably didn't belong. There are hundreds of NFL prospects that pursue their dreams, aren't skilled enough, and get released before getting the chance to play a season, but that doesn't mean they deserve major credit. CM Punk deserves credit for trying, just as much credit as any other amateur athlete that attempts to make a name for themselves.

Keep in mind, Phil Brooks will be compensated major money for his appearance, and you can bet that thousands of other amateur fighters would sign the same deal to fight a competitor above their experience level for that type of money. Granted, was it all about the money for Punk? No, he's very financially secure, but to say that the amount of cash he was paid wasn't a factor at all would be misguided. If money wasn't a factor at all, CM Punk could've actually fought as an amateur and possibly worked his way up to the UFC. Again, it takes courage to fight on the big stage, but also an arrogance or at least an overconfidence to assume you can start a career at the major league level of any sport.

Longtime UFC commentator, Joe Rogan summed up the UFC 203 experiment perfectly when he said, "I admire CM Punk for taking the chance, I really do. It was brave, it was courageous, but it was delusional."

The bottom line is, CM Punk had no experience in mixed martial arts and the results of UFC 203 reflected that. That being said, it took tenacity to sign a contract for combat sports and Punk did what he wanted to do, get a fight as a mixed martial artist. His name value allowed for him to get an opportunity in the UFC, and there's nothing wrong with that. He was offered the deal and he accepted it. That being said, it didn't take a heroic effort to get pummeled for two minutes and as mentioned, there are many other amateurs that would sign for the same deal for the same cash. Post-fight, Punk indicated that he wants to continue fighting, while Dana White said that it probably shouldn't occur in the UFC so it's undecided where he fights next. If Punk returns to combat sports, it's possible he could fight on a smaller show that the UFC features on their digital streaming service, as it's doubtful that Dana White leaves potential money on the table for Punk's MMA career. CM Punk got the chance to fight and he made a lot of money to do it so in some respects, his venture was successful.

The Last Battle of Atlanta

During the territory era of professional wrestling, many stars and the feuds that they worked were tailored toward that specific region of the country. For example, the late great Roddy Piper was a despised villain in Los Angeles  during a rivalry with Chavo Guerrero Sr. before he became a hometown hero for Don Owen's Portland promotion where he battled Buddy Rose. These alterations that were made to work for a specific audience in a certain territory are ultimately what led to the many polished performers during the wrestling boom of the 80s, they were able to hone their craft in front of different crowds to find the best version of their character to eventual make their way to the national level.

However, as great as watching Dusty send Flair shuffling around the ring on TBS or Piper take verbal jabs at opponents on MTV was, there are certain feuds from the territory system that don't always get the spotlight that they deserve. Obviously, those matches were from a different era and a different context, but were still very influential toward some of the elements of the industry that were enhanced to what is seen today. For example, before Samoa Joe and Nakamura thrilled audiences with brutal exchanges on the WWE network, Johnny Valentine and Wahoo McDaniel traded stiff chops in the Mid-Atlantic promotion. Before Rusev defeated John Cena to win the US title, Bruno Sammartino dropped the WWWF belt to Ivan Koloff, which had the fans in attendance at Madison Square Garden in tears as they told the Italian strongman that he was still their hero.

In many ways, it's extremely disappointing that many fans of the current product aren't aware or won't experience that type of emotional investment in the sport because of how the industry is viewed today. Despite what some jaded fans think, it's doubtful that the WWE intentionally keeps footage in the vault at Titan Tower to "hide" the legacy of some of the stars that weren't mainstays in the promotion. Quite frankly, the WWE markets to a main stream audience and as awesome as a 3-disc set of Ray Stevens bouts would be for the diehard fans, it's not a draw for the WWE demographic. But, the WWE network, which is attempting to target fans from every demographic, provides a platform for distribution of some of the classic footage that might otherwise might not be featured. Basically, any of the rare footage in the WWE vault has a renewed value since it provides content to network.

Earlier this week, the "Hidden Gems" collection was released on the WWE network and it featured some extremely obscure material, including a young Gorilla Monsoon wrestling in Canada and Verne Gagne's "Gange metrics" workout series. Among the contests in the collection was "The Last Battle of Atlanta," a  match between "Wild Fire" Tommy Rich and "Mad Dog" Buzz Sawyer in Georgia Championship Wrestling in 1983. The cage that had a roof added was the culmination of a nearly two year feud between the two, and many consider it the predecessor to the cell match that debuted in the WWE almost 15 years later. The gory series of matches that led up to this finale became a common subject for many wrestling magazines to document and the crimson of the battles decorated the covers of various editions. Up until the network release, the Rich/Sawyer showdown was considered the "holy grail" of wrestling film because there was no video footage known to exist. At the time the match took place, video tape was expensive and as a part of cost cutting measures, weekly episodes of the program were often taped over once they were shown on TV to make room for the show the following week. Some fans might not know, but Georgia Championship Wrestling was actually the first pro wrestling TV show to be distributed nationally when it aired on TBS during its heyday.

"Wild Fire" Tommy Rich was a traditional baby face during the feud with Buzz Sawyer and their dynamic worked well, as it projected an intensity that garnered an emotional investment from the crowd. It's ironic that in retrospect, both Rich and Sawyer are underrated because their problems outside the ring prevented them from getting an extended run on the national stage in the WWF or the NWA. So, after years of tape traders searching and even with the access of the internet, this legendary cage match was thought to have been taped over decades ago, but somehow it was found in the WWE vault. Similar to the other matches in the series, "The Last Battle of Atlanta" was a bloody battle that projected an intensity of actual danger inside the steel cage. Tommy Rich's bleach blonde hair was stained red, and Buzz Sawyer was a bloody mess at the conclusion of the contest.

The 12 minutes of mayhem was a violent spectacle that can now be viewed by the general public, which was unthinkable just last week when photos were thought to be the only documentation of the influential match. Due to a stipulation, Ole Anderson gets Paul Ellering in the cage post-match, which provides an entertaining segment, but make no mistake, the official Rich/Sawyer match is wrestling gold.

If you have access to the WWE network, I completely recommend this match and it's a prime example of how violence can be used to tell a story in the squared circle that generated a tremendous crowd reaction. Sadly, Buzz Sawyer's problems outside of wrestling kept him from achieving national success and he died at the age of 32 from a drug overdose in 1992. Tommy Rich went on to continue his run as a mostly regional star before he had a stint in WCW in the early 90s. Rich surfaced again in ECW in 1997 and worked for almost three years as a member of the FBI. I met Tommy Rich in 2009 and at the time, he didn't look well, but thankfully, it's been said that he has improved his health in recent years.

"The Last Battle of Atlanta" is a rare legendary match that featured two underrated stars so you should definitely check out the classic battle.

Bellator signs Rory MacDonald

Last Friday during the Bellator 160 event, it was announced that Rory MacDonald signed with the promotion, and during a post-show press conference, he revealed that his debut would be sometime next year. Considering that MacDonald was involved in the fight of the year in 2015, questions have surfaced about what the move means for his career, and the sport of MMA as a whole?

At 27, Rory was once called, "the next Georges St. Pierre," an almost unfair set of expectations to put upon any fighter that tries to make a name for themselves in the sport. Is Rory a talented fighter? Absolutely, but GSP is a rare breed and one of the most complete competitors in the mixed martial arts genre so again, the comparison probably created unrealistic expectations. That being said, MacDonald is still in the prime of his career and this jump to Bellator could be an indication of the current climate in MMA.

The Canadian athlete is not the first former UFC fighter to opt to test the waters at free agency, as Ben Henderson, who won a lackluster bout against Patricio Pitbull via stoppage last weekend, also decided to sign with Bellator after his Zuffa deal concluded. Granted, Henderson is mostly overrated and hasn't fought up to par since he lost the UFC Lightweight title, but the point is, some fighters have decided to go to Bellator to further their career, not just to get a job after Zuffa released them.

During the post-show media session, Rory mentioned that he was paid a shockingly low $59,000 as a base pay for his epic fight with Robbie Lawler at UFC 189. When you add his fight night bonus and Reebok sponsorship money, MacDonald still made considerably less than the wages that Chad Mendes was paid for a losing effort in the main event. Don't get me wrong, if Mendes can get a deal for $500,000 to get knocked out in the first round, good for him because fighters are trying to make a living in the sport. But, the MacDonald/Lawler battle resembled Rocky vs. Apollo and the violent spectacle resulted in a severely broken nose for the challenger, which is one of the reasons he won't debut in the Bellator cage until next year.

The Reebok deal continues to be a topic of controversy in the world of mixed martial arts since it essentially limits the amount of money fighters can make from the exclusive sponsorship, and it also limits outside sponsorship while the UFC gets paid the bulk of the Reebok money. Rory sacrificed his health in an attempt to obtain the UFC Welterweight championship and in the opinion of most, he wasn't compensated fairly for it so you can't blame him if he took a better deal from Bellator. The bottom line is, Dana White isn't going to pay Rory's mortgage, and even fight of the year contests aren't going to pay for groceries if the pay check isn't adequate. Is MacDonald passing up the spotlight of the UFC? Sure, but again, the point is, he fights for a living so if Rory can get paid more from Bellator and make more money from sponsors, you can't blame him for trying to make as much money as possible. With wins against BJ Penn, Nate Diaz, and the current UFC 170 LBS champion Tyron Woodley, the newest Bellator acquisition certainly adds depth to their roster.

While this is definitely the right move for Rory MacDonald, what does the signing translate to for Bellator?

While the UFC is the undisputed top mixed martial arts company in the world, the Viacom-owned Bellator is far from an upstart promotion, as the media group owns several networks and it's a billion dollar company. That said, the UFC is an established brand and to some extent, you can't just "buy" brand identity, but the Rory signing allows them to expand. The Canadian market is one of the biggest locations for MMA in the world, and Bellator now has the star to promote  there. The organization can put Rory MacDonald on the marquee and can assure themselves a solid draw at the box office. However, Rory or any other specific fighter won't be the one piece of the puzzle for Bellator to get a bigger piece of the mixed martial arts pie. In fact, it's quite the opposite, the group has to showcase their more talented fighters to solidify itself as more than just the sideshow promotion. Granted, the group uses the elaborate entrances to differentiate itself from the UFC, which is fine, but after the Bellator 149 debacle earlier this year, the promotion has to prove itself to be more about competition than novelty acts. Another key point for the group would be better advertising to hype the fights as important events because it's rare that Bellator has a major fight type atmosphere, even if the competitors are talented fighters. Ironically, the Kimbo/Shamrock card that took place last year was an effective strategy, there was a relatively short gimmick fight as the main event that was the draw for viewers to tune in and a solid under card to showcase the more well rounded competitors on the roster.

So is this particular signing going to shift the MMA business? No, but it's a win-win for everyone involved, Rory gets paid better and Bellator can realistically expand into Canada with a legitimate star. The UFC is and will remain the major leagues of mixed martial arts, but it will be interesting to see if there's a trend of other fighters that consider free agency after their UFC contract.